BUFFALO, N.Y. — A construction crew is laying the foundation for the next leg of a multi-phase project to open up Main Street for vehicular traffic.

"In July the lower Main Street phase of Cars Sharing Main Street will begin," said Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.

The project will focus on opening Main Street from Exchange to Scott Street. It follows the completion of earlier phases on the 500, 600 and 700 blocks of Main Street.

"We've seen the economic development activity that's taking place along Main Street all the way from the medical campus to the foot of Main Street. So, this will continue that work, it will continue opening up Main Street to economic development opportunities, business growth opportunities and job creation opportunities," said Brown.

Work crews will have to relocate some utility lines along with replacing the aging train tracks, repaving streets and demolishing some passenger shelters to make way for vehicles. Public Works Commissioner Steve Stepniak says there won’t be any disruption to activities at Canalside.

"The project will allow that same activity to occur down here. We'll work around the public, we'll make sure the maintenance protection is fine, that we can continue the progress and the success with people coming down here. There won't be fear that this area will be a total clogged up area, it will not be," said Stepniak.

Brown says the total cost of this phase of the project is $22.5 million, with 18 coming from the federal government and 4.5 from the state.

The project is scheduled to get underway next month and be completed in 2020.